Power flex rear suspension creak.

[Ryan atkins]

Has anyone else experienced this.

I’ve fitted power flex rear arm and beam mounts. It was noise free at first but as of recent the rear arms creak really loud.
I used all the correct grease when fitting but they are still rather noisy.
I plan to strip them back down and re grease them but wondered if anyone else had this issue and what they did to fix it.
Cheers Ryan.

 

[Sean d]

Hi Ryan, Luckily I ve not had this issue yet but apparently its quite common, what I find with forums is that everyone likes to give the good stuff but not many will admit to issues such as you have, good luck sorting it

 

[t-tony]

I would probably fit the rear subframe mounts with Poly bushes but not the arms, for that I would fit original rubber bushes.

Tony.

 

[Lee]

Yeah I hear this alot with the swing arms being powerflexed. In the past instead of using the grease they supply I drench them in a Castrol variant I have on the shelf.

You can take the arms off without having to drop the subframe its just a fiddley job.

 

[Nodzed]

Just had my rear beam bushes done (powerflex bushes) at the Zedshed HQ and on advice from Lee didnt do the swing arms, they usally dont need replacing apparently, If you are stripping them back out maybe consider putting OEM bushes back in?

 

[Delk]

I am putting together a second rear sub frame with all the bits at the moment I can swap in soon. I was going to drill the arms and put grease fittings in them like I used to do in my old Jeeps. I would grease the bushings when doing oil changes and never had an issue.

 

[t-tony]

You shouldn't grease rubber bushes.

Tony.

 

[Delk]

Grease poly bushes in the trailing arms.

 

[Delk]

I ran Johnny Joints in my Jeeps for years. Even soaked with water and mud on a regular basis they never squeaked since they were greased now and again.

I am planning to put a small nipple in the arms so you can but grease in the middle between the two bushes.

 

[Nodzed]

I ran Johnny Joints in my Jeeps for years. Even soaked with water and mud on a regular basis they never squeaked since they were greased now and again.

I am planning to put a small nipple in the arms so you can but grease in the middle between the two bushes.

View attachment 109271

Dosent change the fact normal grease will degrade the bush over time, sort of pointless putting "for life" powerflex bushes in really? Just saying.
Hope that works for you though

 

[Lee]

I ran Johnny Joints in my Jeeps for years. Even soaked with water and mud on a regular basis they never squeaked since they were greased now and again.

I am planning to put a small nipple in the arms so you can but grease in the middle between the two bushes.

View attachment 109271

I would be worried the issues you could potentially start doing that. You can achieve quite a bit of pressure using that method pumping grease in.

If your taking the arms out to fit a grease nipple maybe fit a better Bush

Just saying

 

[Delk]

Silicone or lithium grease is not uncommon and doesn't hurt the bushings. The little packet they supply isn't magic.

I am also installing Revtech raised subframe bushings and castor and caber correction plates. The arms will have Z4 hubs E46 discs to narrow the track so I can clear the arches when the camber is removed. I may need to install some 5mm spacers to get the wheels back where I want them but will see when it is installed.

With all the work I didn't see going with the standard rubber bushings. If I dont like these I can always go back and change them later.

 

[NJBoyce]

silicon grease is available from most plumbers merchants and usually does the job and does not degrade bushes

 

[Delk]

Just an update. The grease nipples were a failure.

I installed by rear sub frame with the raised 12mm bushings this last weekend. I installed 45 degree grease fittings on the forward upper part of the bushing tubes. With the raised sub frame in place the inboard fittings were far to close to the fuel tank for my liking and I had to take them back off.

If the sub frame was at the stock height it would have probably been just fine.